Part Time Nanny

[Bubandbump]

I am looking to go back to work 3 days a week when my DD is 10 months old in April.

My friend who has a DS same age lives on the same street and is also looking to go back to work 3 days a week but one of the days might be different.

We are in Blackheath, SE London and will be working 8-6 kind of hours. Would either a nanny or au pair do part time and if so what kind of money would they charge? Is it double the price for 2 children and how on earth would I go about finding someone?

Yes you could do a nanny share. Try looking around on netmums, Gumtree, childcare.co.uk and nannyjob to start with.

Cost really depends on the nanny and their qualifications/experience. I would budget at least £12/hour gross between the two of you and that won't get you anyone fantastically experienced for a London share. £15 gross (so essentially £7.50 each) would get you someone nearer the top end of the range. You then need to add on employers NI, payroll and a kitty for activities. There are quite a few threads on the cost of employing a nanny and it can stack up.

Forget an au pair as they really wouldn't be capable of that kind of extended sole charge.

If you possibly can, then do synchronise your days - it will be much easier and/or cheaper to find one nanny who can do three days looking after both babies than it will be to manage it if you're not overlapping. Two non-sibling babies are normally more expensive than one, but not twice as expensive, so if you've got a very local good friend with a baby the same age then it's definitely worth doing. You'd also save money on the nanny's food and the kitty.

Finding a good nanny who can do three days should be entirely possible in London, but be prepared to spend a lot of time looking before you find a candidate you're 100% happy with.

Thankyou very much for your responses. A nanny does seem like the best way to go. I would like them to start at least 2-3 weeks before I go back to work, to get to know my DD and to make sure she is comfortable.

How much lead time will I need to be able to find the right someone?

A nanny share sounds like the perfect option for you especially as your friend`s baby is the same age, if you could co-ordinate working the same three days it would be a very attractive position for potential nannies (& would be more cost-effective for you).

An experienced & qualified nanny would want at least £10/hour net although you should offer a gross wage (if the nanny had another job on the other days s/he would be in a higher tax bracket. I`m a Blackheath nanny & would expect this (or more) for a share.

January would be a good time to think about advertising or contacting agencies, few nannies give more than six weeks notice, not many give three months. It`s certainly good to have a clear idea about what you want though. One or two weeks is a normal settling in period, you could hang around for the first week & use the second to prepare for your return to work.

I will pm you if I hear of anyone suitable

That's really helpful -thankyou so much.

TSC if you do hear of anyone, that would be great.